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iftechfoundation / ifdb

The software behind the Interactive Fiction Database (IFDB)
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Use of intrusive mod tools should be tracked and displayed to all mods #828

Open brirush84 opened 3 years ago

brirush84 commented 3 years ago

Advanced and intrusive mod tools such as viewing private comments, email, or impersonation should be tracked and displayed to other mods to prevent abuse.

qdacsvx commented 3 years ago

But mods are likely to be friends who will be too forgiving/ignoring of unethical behaviour. Admins may want to cover up unethical behaviour reducing the incentive to do anything. Only an independent review board with the power to hire/fire mods (or even the admin) will be an effective deterrent.

dfabulich commented 3 years ago

I think the "who watches the moderators" question is a legitimate concern, but I'm skeptical that we could scare up an "independent review board" of volunteers to observe moderator behavior and take action.

I think it would be especially difficult to find volunteers to work on the review board who aren't friendly with the other sorts of people who volunteer their time and energy to work on IFDB (or other IFTF projects).

Either way, the first thing that the review board would need is data like this: what did the moderators do, and when did they do it?

qdacsvx commented 3 years ago

The data could be sent to an independent archive otherwise the admin could manipulate them.

dfabulich commented 3 years ago

Admins could manipulate the data regardless. (I note that IF Archive is also run by our friends at IFTF.)

The ultimate governance of IFDB is the corporate structure of IFTF. Like all non-profit entities, IFTF is ultimately controlled by its board of directors. https://iftechfoundation.org/directors-advisory-board/ The IFTF board has the power to revoke admin privileges on IFDB servers; only the board members can add/remove a board member.

The only legal way to force a board of directors to do something that they don't want to do is via the legal system, e.g. filing a lawsuit and taking them to court.

The IFTF board might agree to listen to some "independent" group, but that group would not (could not) have the power to fire the IFTF board; only the IFTF board itself can do that. Thus an "independent" group can never truly independently govern IFTF (and its funding, resources, credentials/passwords, etc.) Any "review board" would always depend on the board itself to enforce its will.